Safeguarding: Criminal Exploitation

Criminal Exploitation

Criminal exploitation involves organised criminal gangs taking advantage of an imbalance of power to coerce, control, manipulate or deceive a young person into criminal activity

a) In exchange for something the victim needs or wants, and/or

b) For the financial advantage or increased status of the perpetrator or facilitator and/or

c) Through violence or the threat of violence.

"Children can be exploited to 'work' in cannabis factories, for the purposes of pickpocketing, to distribute drugs, committing theft or burglary, or to assist financial fraud. Any child who is forced to commit anytype of crime is a victim of criminal exploitation."The Children's Society - Counting Lives 2019

Like other forms of abuse and exploitation, criminal exploitation can/may:

Affect any young person under the age of 18 years

Affect any vulnerable adult over the age of 18 years

Still be exploitation, even if the activity appears to consensual

Involve force, enticement or blackmail

Be accompanied by threats of violence or actual violence

Be perpetrated by individuals or groups, males or females, other children or adults

Involve a power imbalance in favour of those perpetrating the exploitation.

"The average age of a gang nominal operating in the country is 15, but extremely young children can be targeted and groomed by gangs - the youngest reported in the country was 10 years old." Local data from Kent and Medway Gangs Strategy 2018-2021.

Signs of a young person’s involvement in a gang may include:

Changes in behaviour

Frequently missing from care, home or education

Unexplained money, gifts or new possessions

Unexplained injuries

Graffiti-style tags on possessions

Carrying weapons

Interest in music which glorifies weapons and gang culture

Getting involved in fights

Committing crimes, such as shoplifting.

One specific model of criminal exploitation, known as ‘county lines’ activity, involves the distribution of illegal drugs and money across the UK through dedicated mobile phone lines (often from cities to counties – hence the term county lines). Young people and sometimes vulnerable adults are often coerced, manipulated or frightened by gang members into moving or selling drugs on their behalf. Some gangs will even use the home of a vulnerable adult as a base from which to deal or hide drugs, this is known as ‘Cuckooing’.

Adults may also be vulnerable and at risk of exploitation by gangs if they: